The International Criminal Court (ICC) has asked South African authorities to appear before it on April 7, to explain the reasons for “their failure to arrest and surrender Omar Al Bashir” during a visit two years ago.
The acting chief state law adviser said this.
Pretoria announced its intention to leave the ICC in 2015 after the Hague-based court criticised it for disregarding an order to arrest Al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide and war crimes.
Bashir has denied the accusations.
NAN recalls that on Sept. 7, 2015, judges at the ICC asked South African authorities to explain why they failed to arrest Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir in June when he attended a conference.
Bashir, accused of masterminding genocide in Darfur, was able to leave an African Union summit in South Africa and fly home, in defiance of a ruling by a South African court ordering his detention under a warrant from the ICC.
NAN recalls that South Africa, a member of the ICC, is obliged to enforce warrants from the Hague-based tribunal.
NAN reports that the court said in cases where a member of the ICC fails to cooperate, the court may refer the matter to either the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s governing body, or the UN Security Council, which established the court and has the power to impose sanctions.
President Jacob Zuma has defended the decision to let Bashir leave the country, saying the wanted leader had immunity as a guest of the African Union.
Clayson Monyela, the spokesman for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, said he was unaware of the request from the global tribunal.
“I haven’t heard anything about it. And even if it’s there I won’t be commenting on it, that matter is sub judice.
It’s in the courts,” said Monyela.
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